Consumer Perceptions of Ad Ethicality in Loot Box Promotions

ABSTRACT

This study offers gamers’ insights to a worldwide popular loot-box game that is widely associated with gambling: FIFA. Through an ethical lens, this study looks at how gamers perceive loot-box promotions, their enduring attitudes toward the game, as well as the role of gaming addictions. A mixed-method study revealed that while gamers found loot boxes and promotions ethically questionable, gaming addiction is positively correlated with perceived ad ethicality, suggesting coping and possible cognitive dissonance.

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to express their gratitude to @FUT_Accountant and @Shady_Inc for their support in disseminating the message of our research among their constituents.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Data availability statement

The dataset for both the focus group and interview is stored on OSF and can be found at: https://osf.io/tbjdz/?view_only=2b55b7435940428b8bc54407975c12b6

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Faculty Development Grant under Grant FDR1188